Well Fourth of July seems to be the time of year I update this story… Odd. Anyway! Here's the next chapter. Sorry it has been so long. Grad school is kind of overwhelming and I just finished a 2 week clinical experience which was insanely tiring. Rooting for the US in the World Cup today and celebrating the Fourth this weekend! Be safe everyone.

As usual, Escaflowne does not belong to me. Dimitri is my one addition.

Reviews welcome and encouraged! Enjoy!

Hitomi was taking a break in the small dining room, soaking in the sunlight and getting off of her feet. Hours spent every day in the library with Dimitri and Merle were wearing her out far more than she had expected. Not that she wasn't enjoying every moment. The young lord and the cat girl were hysterical together and they often had Hitomi laughing so hard she cried. She smiled softly to herself even as she tried to regain some strength from the warmth of the sun.

A knock on the door was followed by the guard just outside asking her if she would allow a messenger. She called for them to enter as she sat up from the chaise lounge, making sure her dress was laying right and her hair wasn't too mussed. She smiled to herself. Those were things she never would have cared much about before becoming queen. "Your Majesty," the unfamiliar figure bowed as he came in and Hitomi smiled tentatively at him. He straightened and informed her that he was a messenger from Asturia. "The crown prince arrived last week. Princess Millerna asked that you and the king be informed." Hitomi's face lit with happiness.

"How wonderful. A boy. I'm sure Dryden, er, her Highness's Consort is very pleased. The princess is well?" Her concern for Millerna was real as from what she knew, it seemed the baby had come a few weeks early. At least she had been home a little more than a month before anything happened.

"Yes, indeed. She uh," the man hesitated, clearly startled himself by his news. "She is out of confinement already, as a matter of fact." Hitomi chuckled at her friend's tenacity. She wasn't going to let anything keep her down. "She has sent a letter as well," he intoned as he pulled a sealed envelope from his coat pocket.

"Thank you. If you wish, you may get something to eat and some rest. I would like to send a letter back with you if you can wait a few hours." The man bowed and excused himself, one of the guards directing him to the kitchens. Hitomi brushed her fingers over the thick paper. Reading the letter would be a test of all she had been learning in the last month or so. She didn't want to have to ask Van, Merle, or even Dimitri to help her read it and she wanted to be able to write back on her own. "You can do this," she told herself aloud.

She left the sunny haven of the dining room and went back to the royal suite where she kept her reading materials. Van had requested a desk be brought in so she would have someplace to spread out all of her books and papers. Smiling at the thoughtfulness of her husband, a man who a few short years before probably would have scoffed at the idea of doing something so sweet, Hitomi sat down and opened the letter from Millerna.

Dearest Hitomi,

I wanted to write to you to tell you that our son has arrived. Dryden is thrilled, although I think that is more because it finally means I am out of danger. Even though he came early, as you may have noticed, he is healthy and tall for a newborn. As I write this letter, we have not yet decided on a name. Tradition dictates that we should name him after one or both of our fathers. However, Dryden does not want to name him for his father, and I am not sure I want to name him for mine. It is amazing the pressures we find ourselves under even though we are supposed to be the ones making the rules. I am sure you understand that idea completely.

How are you holding up? I hope that Van is doing all he can to make sure you are comfortable in your new role. I cannot express how glad we are to see you back in his life and making him happy again. You both deserve all the happiness in the world and I do hope that you find it. Once we have chosen a name, we hope to have a naming ceremony to announce our son. I hope that you and Van can get away long enough to attend. Dryden and I would be honored by your presence.

With sincerest affection,

Millerna Aston Fassa

Hitomi puzzled over a few of the more idiomatic phrases, but found she understood most of it. With a smile on her face she began writing a letter in return. Congratulating Millerna and Dryden on the birth of their son, thanking her for her kind wishes and expressing her desire to come for their son's naming ceremony if Van could make it happen. When she finished, she sat and stared at the drying ink on the sheet in front of her with a satisfied grin. "Did you know you stick your tongue out to the side when you're concentrating?" Hitomi jumped and whirled around to find her husband leaning against an armchair, an amused smile on his lips. For a moment her eyes blurred and black spots appeared in her vision, but she shook it off, waving him over.

"I received a letter from Millerna, the baby came last week." She showed him the letter from the princess and then her response letter. He looked them both over and gave her a lopsided smile.

"If I didn't know better I'd think you had been reading and writing our language all along."

Hitomi laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. I know it reads like a child's writing. I hope Millerna will understand," she said pensively, staring again at her reply. Van placed a reassuring hand on her back and kissed the top of her head. He noticed not for the first time that his wife seemed terribly tired and he asked her if she was feeling alright. Hitomi glanced up at him with a slightly shifty look in her eyes. "I'm fine."

Unfortunately for his wife she was not a very good liar. "Hitomi, don't lie to me. If you're not well..."

"Just tired. Dizzy once in a while. I think I'm still getting used to the rotation of the planet or something," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. Van caught both of her delicate hands in his and forced her attention to him. He searched her eyes and saw that she was hiding the true extent of her illness. "I'm not sick," she said more resolutely. Her eyes flicked away from his in a sure sign that she knew something she didn't want to tell him.

"Hitomi, Love, tell me what is wrong," Van demanded in a soft voice, not wanting to put her on the defensive but needing to know what he needed to fix. She sighed and gently explained that she was late, very late. At first he didn't understand. Until she explained what being late usually meant. Van opened his mouth to say something several times, closing it without a sound coming out. Sinking down to his knees beside her, Van rested his forehead against her knee. One of her hands rose to softly run her fingers through his hair as he processed what she was telling him. He was floating somewhere between frightened and ecstatic. "I'll have the healer up to have a look," he said after a too-long moment, raising his head to see Hitomi's eyes turned away from him with tears settling on her lashes. "Hitomi?"

"I just... I was afraid you might react this way," she whispered, biting back a sob. Van winced at the expression on her face. After the discussion they'd had before the wedding, it was not surprising that she'd assumed he would be upset and he couldn't honestly say he was happy. Not that he didn't want children and not that he hadn't convinced himself that it was a safer time to have them. Hitomi could be at risk. Their child could turn out to be some kind of monster because of his blood. They could lose the child before birth.

Startled, he let Hitomi up when she stood, clinging to her hands as she tried to walk away. "There's nothing to be done now," she whispered. "All we can do is wait and see." Van stood as well, pulling her against his chest.

"I didn't mean to... Hitomi, there are so many risks."

She heaved a breath, letting out a sob against his shirt. "You didn't think anything of the risks before now," she reminded him bitterly. He had to admit she was completely right. He'd been so caught up in enjoying her and their time together that he'd barely thought about the consequences past that first time.

Van gulped down a breath and kissed the top of her head again. "I am happy," he whispered. She shook her head disbelievingly. "I mean it. Having children with you does not scare me like it did before. I only worry for your safety." Biting his lip in thought, Van sighed as he realized he needed to tell her the truth of his fear, even more than the idea that his demon blood could make their children monsters. "My birth almost killed my mother," he breathed. "She recovered, but she was not the same as before. I couldn't bear to lose you, Hitomi."

"You won't lose me. I promise." She sighed. "Maybe we could ask Millerna to do training with the healer here. She could teach him all the new techniques she's learned and then there won't be as high a risk." He nodded but didn't look convinced. "Van, look at me," she whispered, gently touching his chin until he was staring directly into her eyes. "Women have been having babies for thousands and thousands of years without special medical experts like on Earth. As long as we're as prepared as we can be, it will be alright." Van pulled her to him to place a desperate kiss on her lips. He really hoped she was right. From the deepest part of his very being, he hoped she was right.

The messenger was sent home to Asturia with two letters. The one Hitomi had written and one from Van as well, conveying his well-wishes as well as his acceptance of an invitation to the crown prince's naming ceremony whenever it may occur. He also made Millerna aware of Hitomi's condition and expressed his concerns for her safety in the most proper way he could think of. After reading over it twice he was worried the princess wouldn't understand what he was talking about, his explanations were so vague. He had to hope she was as intelligent as he'd always thought her to be.

He cleared his evening schedule, such as it was, and requested a quiet meal in the royal suite with his wife. She was still upset from their conversation earlier and he wanted to remove as much tension from her small shoulders as he could. Merle and Demitri could dine on their own one night. "Van, we don't have to confine ourselves to quarters this early," Hitomi teased him halfheartedly. He shook his head with a small smile once he realized she was joking.

"Of course not. It's just been an... exciting day. I thought we could use some time to relax. Plus," he said with a bigger smile, scooting closer to her on the sofa, "can you blame me for wanting to spend some time alone with my beautiful wife?" Hitomi tossed him a look that told him his flirtations were not exactly welcome. He sighed before taking the hand closest to him and tugging on it until she turned to face him. "I didn't mean to upset you," he apologized while gently caressing her soft cheek.

Hitomi slowly let her fear and irritation drain out of her. "I know." She chewed her bottom lip before looking deeply in her husband's mahogany gaze. "So many men on my world don't react well when they find out they're going to be a father, especially if they weren't planning on it."

Somehow he didn't think she meant they worried for the mother's safety as he had. "They... get angry?"

"Sometimes. Some men don't take responsibility for their actions and blame the woman for getting pregnant." Hitomi paused, musing after a moment, "There are women who react the same way, I guess. Blame the man they were with when they both are to blame."

"I don't blame you!" Van replied, slightly aghast. Hitomi smiled softly, patting his knee. "There's no... blame to be placed. It isn't a wrong or a bad deed."

"I'm glad you think so," she responded softly. "But it is a big responsibility, even more so because you are King." Van quirked an eyebrow at her. Hitomi laughed a little. "Our first child will be the crown prince or princess, right?" She sucked in a breath when a thought occurred to her. "Your laws allow a woman to rule, don't they?"

Van tilted his head. "Why wouldn't they?" He frowned, gently touching Hitomi's stomach where there would be no sign of a child for many months. "There have only been a few countries on Gaea that did not, and they no longer exist. It makes no sense to only pass leadership along the male line. If there are only daughters, the government fails to pass on smoothly. That's how you get invaded, or civil war breaks out."

Hitomi didn't realize how happy his answer made her until she felt the tears trickle down her cheeks. "What a relief." Van twisted his mouth slightly in worry, wiping the tears from her face with a gentle swipe of his thumb.

"There are a many places on Earth that do not do it that way?"

"The only places that still have monarchies do. Otherwise they die out, just like you said. But more because new forms of government become more popular with the people." Hitomi chuckled a bit at the memory of her own fascination with the British monarchy when she was younger. "They become part of the new government, but more as figureheads, celebrities."

"Celebrities?"

Hitomi grinned at her husband. "People that are famous for no real reason other than they are... famous." A giggle made its way out of her. "That sounds so ridiculous now that I say it, but it's true. The royal families are a little different, because they're famous because they're royal... but there are other celebrities that are famous because they come from a rich family and get into a lot of trouble, or they are actors."

"Actors are famous in your culture?" Van set his chin in his hand, watching the way his wife lit up when he asked her questions about the home she had left. They never sat and talked about Earth like this, he realized. Maybe she missed it and talking about it made her feel better. He laughed as she explained what a movie was, and how the actors made lots of money making them. "Actors here prefer their anonymity, to be able to leap into any character they want or need to at any time. Interesting that actors on Earth seem to seek the fame."

"Fame is almost more valuable than riches to some people. Which can get them into a lot of trouble." Hitomi settled into the curve of Van's side, resting her head on his shoulder. "Even though I felt so... invisible before I came here, I never wanted that kind of attention."

Something else had bothered her about the idea of having a girl. "Hitomi, are... are girls not as valued in your culture?"

"Not mine specifically, though it used to be that way." She paused, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Some places still don't and will... do away with female babies, especially if they cannot afford more children."

Van felt unbelievable outrage at the idea. "Is life so meaningless on the Mystic Moon?" he rumbled.

"No, of course not. It was the way people thought, or where trained to think, in some places a long time ago." Hitomi sighed again. "Earth is crowded now, overpopulated. To keep the numbers down, some countries only allow families a certain number of children. And if boys are valued more than girls..."

"The girls are murdered." Hitomi shuddered against his side, curling herself more tightly into him. "No such law will ever happen here. All children are a gift."

Hitomi glanced up at him, studying the furrows in his brow. "Even the children of dragon kings?" she questioned him softly. Van's face relaxed and he looked down into her eyes. He clearly thought about what she was asking and what they had been talking about. A tiny smile curled one side of his mouth.

"Especially the children of dragon kings." Van leaned down and kissed her. "We can have a whole castle-full of girls."

Laughing, Hitomi shook her head. "I think two or three is plenty. I don't want to be confined to our suite for the rest of my life." Van joined in with her laughter. Two or three sounded just fine to him.

I imagine this was a bit predictable for some. I'm ok with that, but I hope you enjoyed the unfolding all the same. Please take a moment to leave a review. I've actually gotten some really thoughtful reviews, which I love!